Passion fruit & Pineapple "The Sea Salt Peacock"

It's getting cooler, leaves are scattered across my porch and the days are getting shorter. Fall is here and Winter is steadily making it's way to my door too. I anticipate this time of year just for the change it brings. Once I have felt the difference for a few weeks I am over it. The first time I have to walk my dog at 6a.m. and I feel like a Popsicle, I am way over it.

  Then I start the long yearning for Spring and Summer again. At least I have my fragrances, I can light a candle or take a bubble bath and the aroma's take me back. That's what this scent does for me, I instantly thing spring break, summer fun, fresh fruit all in one fruity burst of fragrance. I am in love once again, happens often in my line of work. Oh, the misery right? Another treason why I love what I do so much, It smells good. Even if I spill something and make a huge mess, It still smells good.

  Pineapple & Passion Fruit fragrance is a new oil from Wholesale Supplies Plus. I was reviewing some of there new scents to see how they performed during Cold Process soap making. I have tested three of there Pineapple fragrances so far, and Pear berry which is a dead ringer for BBW type all the way. There Pineapple scents are fabulous! The Pineapple & Mango and Passion Fruit & Pineapple are my favorite. They both have worked beautifully with my process. There is time to get in there and just let your creative side loose. And I did. I have been obsessed with sea salt this month, I guess it's another way to hold on to summer too. I was recently on a Blog based in France and was totally blown away by some of soaps that I saw. It's called BOS, Blogs Of Soap, you really need to check that out. I have oodles of ideas from amazing work on that blog. So I took an Idea with the cylinder bottles and turned it into a bright and funky soap loaf, topped off with various colored Sea salts on the top.
First off you need to cut the tops and bottoms off your smooth plastic bottles and insert either after you pour or before. I did it prior and had a little trouble with breaking the suction loose to get them out. Wait at least 12 hours before you remove the bottles. I started to decorate the top with sea salt I colored with oil locking mica powders, tweezers help. Patience too. I had no plan at first but it came together nicely.

 I let it set over night, after i removed the bottles just to give it ample time to firm up. I tend to make soap on the softer side so I need all the dry time I can get. The next morning I whipped up a one pound batch of coconut milk awesomeness to fill the holes in. I used the same micas I colored the salts with and a touch of white. Divided my batch up and poured small amounts into each hole in order until I reached the top.
   I had my extra molds ready for the excess I couldn't use and made some adorable colored sea salt hand soaps for bathroom. Just sprinkle in some on the bottom and put the soap in while it has a little body to it so it will set on top of the salts with out swallowing them completely.
  Then I was faced with the big
decision to cover the holes you see
in the picture above or leave them
showing.
 The bottom picture on the right was soon after pouring so you can actually see the outline of the holes a little. Where the ends frayed up from pulling the bottles out are not that appealing. You would want to push those down, level with the top prior to filling. I choose to push mine down with the sea salt and cover completely.

You can see on the bottom of the two on the right, when I was pulling my bottle out the suction was pulling the soap in. I am not sure how to stop that but I think using a cylinder that air can move through will fix it. Like actually cutting the top and bottom off before you use them. Now I am dying to see what it would be like without them covered up so I will be doing this again very soon. With a whole different color scheme of course. I only like to do the same thing twice if it's ordered. I love to create something new for my customers to see, it will keep them coming back just to see what you will have next. Not to mention the fact that it keeps it fun and new for myself too.
I let it set out covered for 24 hours, then I placed it in the freezer for another 24 hours. After all the waiting and anticipation I was finally ready to cut it. This is the moment I live for! That Christmas morning feeling for me every time, never gets old. And this is what it looked like. Totally made me think of a Peacock:) I hope this was helpful to someone. Take it and make it your own. If I missed something or you need any info just let me know.